MANILA, Philippines — Pastor Apollo Quiboloy should respect the process now that a formal court has already issued a warrant of arrest against him, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said on Thursday.
After all, Gatchalian noted the arguments raised by Quiboloy’s camp against the separate investigations being conducted by the Senate and the House of Representatives.
“Ako, ang nakikita ko, dapat galangin niya ang proseso (He should respect the process),” the senator noted at a regular Kapihan sa Senado.
“Pwede niyang depensahan ‘yung sarili niya at pwede niya ring ipaliwanag ‘yung kanyang side dahil narinig ko sinasabi nila na Senate at Congress, hindi naman formal court,” he said.
(He can defend himself and explain his side because I heard them saying that the Senate and Congress are not formal courts.)
“Ngayon, may warrant, which is issued by a formal court, so in other words, ‘yan ang inaantay niya ‘no, para mapalinawag niya ‘yung kanyang side,” Gatchalian pointed out.
(Now, there’s a warrant, which is issued by a formal court. So, in other words, that’s what he’s been waiting for to clarify his side.)
The warrant of arrest issued by the Davao Regional Trial Court stemmed from the case filed against Quiboloy and five others for violating Republic Act 7610 or the Anti-Child Abuse Law.
READ: ‘Sex or damnation’: US raps hound Quiboloy
The Senate has also issued a separate warrant of arrest against the leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) for his repeated failure to appear in its probe into alleged crimes hurled at him and his aides.
Quiboloy arrest, detention at Senate ordered
Among the offenses being attributed to Quiboloy and his alleged accomplices are large-scale and systematic trafficking, sexual abuse, forced labor, and other human rights violations.
Quiboloy is also courting a possible arrest by the House for his refusal to appear in its investigation into the Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) franchise.
The KJC leader founded the SMNI.
Gatchalian defended the investigations in Congress and the filing of cases in courts.
“Trabaho ng House ‘yung pag-hear nung kanyang franchise, trabaho ng Senate ‘yung pag hear ng mga human trafficking issues, at trabaho naman ng DOJ (Department of Justice) ‘yung pagresponde sa mga kaso na i-finile,” he said.
(It’s the job of the House to conduct hearings on his franchise, the Senate’s responsibility is to hear human trafficking issues, and it’s the Department of Justice’s role to respond to filed cases.)
“Para sa akin, ginagawa lang ng trabaho nitong mga institutions,” the senator added.
(For me, these institutions are just doing their jobs.)